docs: def _extract_item(self, item):
          """
          utility function to extract an "item", meaning
          a extension number,name plus version.
          """
          ver = 0
          if isinstance(item, tuple):
              ver_sent = True
              nitem = len(item)
              if nitem == 1:
                  ext = item[0]
              elif nitem == 2:
                  ext, ver = item
          else:
              ver_sent = False
              ext = item
          return ext, ver, ver_sent